God apparently created the seven arch Angels each with particular strength in one of the seven attributes of God. One for example, may excel in mercy, another in patience and so-on. This was deliberate so that the Angels must depend on each other and so learn to help and love each other. A good degree of humility also comes from such dependence, and that is significant for what I am going to write next.People are apparently created in the same way - with different skills and attributes so as to depend on each other and thus through need develop brotherly communities of love and support for each other (which flies in the face of much modern theory I know). Thus to be dependent on someone else, or actually many others, is not a weakness but in fact is part of God's plan to help us appreciate and love others for the help they give us, and also to give us the opportunity to help others (and keep us humble at the same time). Now we come to the tricky point, which I think may offend some people at first reading, but in a spiritual sense is not offensive at all, if one keeps in mind that the one of the highest and most important (if not the most important) spiritual attributes is humility. Note, this is not the worldy view. The wordly view is that one should be independent, that to be grateful and humble is a sign weakness. The spiritual values, however are quite different to worldy ones. Please keep that in mind as you read what follows. As all people are different, with different strengths and weaknesses, so as to develop dependence and love and humility, so there is - according to my understanding - a difference between the sexes. It seems that women are slightly weaker in spirit (not in love mind you - which is the important thing in a spiritual sense). This seems to be to allow a woman and man to develop a small community of two in line with God's order of mutual dependence, where one is lacking what the other can provide. So why would God create women as spiritually weaker? This assists good-hearted men in feeling love and tenderness towards women, as all people should feel inclined to help someone who is weak in some way. Women on the other hand, would feel gratitute and love towards men. Note, before anyone gets upset and thinks this is unfair, there is more to come. Firstly keep in mind that this relationship between women and men is exactly the relationship between all people and God . We are all spirituallty weaker than God, and He loves us and helps us, and we should love Him because of His help and love towards us (by the way, men's most common greatest weakness is apparently lust and women's is the desire for power). Secondly, the relationship is not all one way. As men seek to help women, women are supposed to also help men. This is a bit tricky to grasp but it is explained in the story of Adam and Eve. Eve, according to scripture, was taken from Adam's rib. A rib is a protection for the chest or, in this case, more specifically the heart. Thus the story of Adam and Eve is allegorical for the role of Eve which is to protect men's sensitive hearts. Thus men depend on women for this and will love them for it. I personally think this is why relationship betrayals hit men so hard, as it is kind of spiritual dependence that has been offended against.

As a side note, I should also point out, that not all people see weakness as an opportunity for love, mercy, patience and help. I feel that some very worldy men see women's weaknesses as something to be despised and that that is one reason why some men have little or no respect for women. In which case it would seem that such men have an inflated ego and sense of pride in their own supposed strength. But this is a very worldy view. Would such men see children in the same way? I suspect not. They would see weakness in children as natural and perhaps a bit charming. This is how spiritual men see women. I should also point out that there is actually another element to the story of Adam and Eve - in that Eve was taken as a part of Adam. A completed created spiritual being is actually comprised of a women and a man, and at some point in our spiritual development (not on this earth, but later) each of us will again merge with our original counterpart (wife with man) to once again form a compete single, but yet also each with their own separate identity, perfect spiritual being.

What can I say, you pretty much nailed it. This being the weaker one can be a challenge when you've tried - all your earthly life - to be strong for whatever or whoever might happen down the road. But I agree, a woman should be weaker than a man in order to fulfill her calling. I guess it's a matter of attitude, a humble one is more attractive that a proud and sassy one for sure.

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Matt

9/15/2014 05:20:54 pm

Yes, thanks Charlotte. But perhaps it may help to keep im mind that men are also weak - and it is from God that all strength comes, it just seems that sometimes he might - in His great wisdom - dish out a bit more to men.

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The author, Matthew, draws his ideas from writers such as C.S Lewis, Jakob Lorber, Emanuel Swedenborg and others.